Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor born in 1847 in Ohio. After working as a telegraph operator as a youth, he went on to establish the first industrial research laboratory, known as Menlo Park Laboratory, where he invented many devices including the phonograph and incandescent light bulb. Through his innovations with electric power generation at his Edison Electric Light Company, Edison helped drive the development and commercial distribution of electricity, though alternating current would ultimately become the standard thanks to other inventors. By the end of his life, Edison held over 1,000 patents and was renowned as one of America's greatest inventors.